


The Flame In My Darkness

by Taintedazure



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Romance, Awkward Sexual Situations, Consensual Kink, Crushes, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Flirting, Friends to Lovers, Hand & Finger Kink, Implied Relationships, Love, Love Confessions, Lucio (The Arcana) Being A Dick, Lucio (The Arcana) Is A Little Shit, Mild Kink, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Original Character(s), Play Fighting, Praise Kink, Romance, Secret Crush, Sorry Not Sorry, Unrequited Crush, Voice Kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-08 02:27:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20827874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taintedazure/pseuds/Taintedazure
Summary: The Apprentice, Flare Glass, looks back on her newly regained memories and how she gained the love of her life.





	The Flame In My Darkness

**Author's Note:**

> This is my own version of things and my own Apprentice that I absolutely love. I'll be making separate series for my favorite Arcana people but if anyone wants to see a particular one let me know and i'll work on it! I hope you like this story! <3

Time and memories were the most precious things, something Flare realizied once she regained her lost memories. It was bittersweet. So many fond memories to recall as well as bad and all that time had passed when she couldn't recall any of it until just recently when her friend and mentor, Asra, had helped her remember it all. It amazed her that she had even forgotten. How could she? She breathed a sigh, closing her eyes and laying in the Palace Gardens near the fountain to just allow herself the chance to remember it all.

As if englufed in water, the memories flowed without hesitation, no longer being held back by headaches or panic attacks. The ones that were the most vivid were her time during the plague with the Count of Vesuvia himself. Back when people were terrified of him and the horrible Plague.

A rush of footsteps filled the halls of the palace, charging right into the library at full force with the door swinging and knocking against the wall as she made her entrance. "Doctor Julian i found more books in town! These should help right?" Flare questioned, placing the heavy new material onto the already cluttered table. Even in the past she was an apprentice, only currently an apprentice to Doctor Julian Devorak who seemed happy with her company but extra excited whenever Asra would come to visit and offer his assistance. 

"These should do wonderfully Flare. Can you d-do me a favor and bring this water to the Count? I know he's expecting me but i have to continue with the new research and i have to find more leeches and clean the table and-" He cut off when he heard Flare giggling from his rambling. 

Julian was always impossibly sweet to her. He always gave her the choice and she always chose to lend her hand to ease his woes over finding a cure even for a moment. Not to mention her own ambitions clouding her judgement if only a little.

"I'd be happy to, Julian. I'll be sure to hurry back so i can help with the research or else you'll go crazy with knowledge." She teased and brought a smile out of him as well as a faint pink blush on his cheeks as he handed over the bottle of water. It was full of clean minerals and medicine to help ease the Count's pain. Something he had to drink regularly now but they could only make it but so fast after all. She took the bottle with a thanks before making her way to the Count's wing.

Seeing the Count whenever she was able could and would be called the best and worst moments of her life due to his sickness. The supposedly extra, wonderful, handsome Count of Vesuvia was cranky, irritable, impossibly spoiled, and very rarely kind or any sort of nice when he was having one of his more worse days. The only one he was calm with completely would be Julian. Not even his wife could soothe him albeit it was only a marriage in name and status than in love.

A prick of jealousy ran down Flare's spine but she held it down and swallowed it, pausing as the Lords guard dogs, Mercedes and Malchior, blocked her path of entrance to his wing. They both gave a low growl, nearly baring their teeth as they both gave her a short sniff then laid themselves down in a regal mess of white fur by the staircase. With great care, she made her way up the winding staircase towards his bed chambers.

The servants were leaving the halls in a rush, shuffling along as quickly as their feet could take them without being too suspicious towards their master which left Flare standing alone in front of his door. 

She lifted her hand and hit her knuckles against the fine wood a couple of times before hearing his hoarse voice call out to her.

"Who is it?!" His shout echoed down the halls and shook her to her core, gulping down her worries as she spoke up in response.

"Its Flare my lord. I came with something from Doctor Devorak. He said to bring it specifically for you." One thing she knew better was to call Julian by his first name in Lucio's presence. As far as anyone was concerned, only Lucio had such an honor of calling Julian by his name. Anyone else would either be snapped at or glared at until they broke down. She heard a tsk from behind the door before he allowed her to enter.

She made her way into the room and spotted the count spawled in his bed in the lap of comfort and luxury despite the pain he must be in.

"What did my dear Ilya bring me this time red?" He questioned with a smirk on chapped lips. Even since they met and Lucio caught sight of her firey, curly red hair, he refused to call her by her given name and took to calling her Red instead whereas in Julian's case he spoke his given name with a fondness and flirty attitude that couldn't be faked.

"Its mineral water to ease the ache my lord..." Another dull ache reached her chest as she handed him the bottle. He hummed deeply in approval before his hand snatched up her wrist. Her eyes met his while his lips formed another smirk.

"Be so kind as to join me red? Hm?" He gestured to the edge of the bed with insistance. As if anyone in their right mind would refuse him. She took a hesitant glance before settling herself onto the bed while he sipped at his water eagerly. "Mm its nice and cool." He murmured more to himself than to her.

This was new. He never once asked her to stay with him before. Her heart was beating a mile a minute and she prayed to whatever gods were listening to her that he couldn't hear it as well. 

"Are you two any closer?" He questioned with narrowed eyes that expected results from the both of them.

"We are my Lord. We're working day and night. I refuse to let the plague take you." She willingly admitted a bit of her own emotions and hoped it wasn't too notice able by him. From the way he began praising himself she would say he either didn't notice or if he did he just didn't care enough to point it out.

"Good. Vesuvia is nothing without its Count so i must have the cure." He laid back against his fluffed pillows while he spoke, eyes never leaving her form. "You look tired Red. You've slept less than Ilya. Or so he tells me whenever he comes to visit." He waved his hand dismissively as she fidgeted with her fingertips nervously from the sudden change of topic.

"I can sleep after you're cured my Lord... Sleep means very little in recent days."

Her eyes lifted from the bed spread slowly and grew wide in shock to see him staring so intently with a perplexed expression on his face. "Why are you so much more determined than the others? You're the only one making a genuine effort to save me. Oh yes, i see how they look and act when they treat me. They feed me and clothe me but their eyes say 'Why aren't you dead already?' But you, you've been working your fingers to the bone just to find me a cure. I don't understand why."

It made her gulp to know he had found out about not only her hard efforts but about the hushed whispers surround his survival. She had to chose her words carefully so she wouldn't give her true feelings away.

"You're my Lord and Count. I can't just let you die if i can find a way to stop it. You don't deserve to die in such a way." Her words rang in the silence of the room and a small smile played at the edges of his lips while they kept their gaze locked on one another.

"You'd be the first to think so Red."

...

After that night, Flare continued her work without fail. It meant far too much to her to find some way to save Lucio's life. She hadn't seen him since then but Julian has and kept her informed on his condition whenever he had the chance due to them needing to find a cure together she had to stay updated on how he was reacting to the new treatments. A poor excuse but it still helped to know he was eating more than before and resting easier as well. It was a good sign and one of the best they've had in days.

Flare gave a soft sigh, peeling her eyes away from the book in front of her to rub her palms against her face. Julian set a cup down on the table in front of her with his hand on her shoulder.

"Flare, dear, you know i appreciate your help but you're exhausted. When was the last time you got a full nights sleep?"

She paused from the question and pursed her lips in thought. Even before she had met with Lucio she had only slept for about 2 hours the pervious night and with her newfound determination to find a cure, she most certainly has not slept since then which in turn meant she hadn't slept for at least 4 days straight.

"I can't sleep now Doctor... We're so close i can feel it! If i give up now when we're making progress we may not get this chance again." She insisted, forcing back a yawn from her throat while he looked at her with concern as well as sass with his hands now settled on his hips. Whenever he looked like that it was to try to get what he wanted when he didn't have a demanding bone in his body aside from when he wanted to be demanded from instead.

"You and i both know i'm going to keep working and if you collapse on me in the middle of working then that will set us back even longer and make Luci mad at us both. I know you want to find the cure just as much as I do but if you keep going at this rate you'll get sick too and won't be able to save anybody must less Lucio." 

With a soft groan she knew he was right and she was just being stubborn. One would say its part of her charm but that one was just her. She rose from the table with a pout on her lips, catching his sly smile from knowing he had won another arguement against her.

"Fine only because you'll whine and beg if i don't go. Is there anything you need before i go? A book, water, tea?" She asked and he appeared thoughtful before shaking his head, making auburn hair fly over his right eye. "No i should have everything i need. Oh wait here." He handed her a box of fresh tea leafs. "Take these with you and mix them into those herbs you've got in your room. I think the chemical reaction will make a soothing elixer. A-Asra taught me about it yesterday." Yet again there was a pink that ran from cheek to cheek over the bridge of his nose while he spoke of Asra.

She suspected something between them but refused to ask mostly because of how Julian would be embarrassed to death and Asra would just dodge the question entirely. She nodded her head before leaving the library.

The walk to her room dragged on. Her vision began to waver the more her eyes drooped. Though her sleepy stumbling was halted when she heard a large shout from the kitchen.

"Care to explain how it just disappeared?!" Lucio's loud voice echoed in the halls and before Flare knew it, she was making her way to the kitchen. The servants were in a scramble to try and get Lucio what he wanted while also trying to avoid his wrath. She made her way in carefully, Lucio lifting his head and settling his glare on her instead. He looked beautiful. Less sickly and more like the handsome count everyone used to know. He was even standing up straighter and had more color in his face than he had before regardless of how angered he currently was.

"You. Have you seen my fur coat? None of this idiots want to answer me and not even Noddy has seen it!" He threw his arms up in irritation before he paced back and forth. Flare swayed a bit from the motion as her vision spotted, clearing her throat before she spoke. "My Lord, it should be in your chambers in the far closet... I'd be more than happy to help you look for it if..." She paused for a moment to regain her bearings. "If you'd like." 

By now he stopped pacing and turned his attention to her, ready to snap and demand information as to if she had put it there rather than in its usual spot when he noticed how she could barely keep herself up. "Red? You look like youre about to keel over. Are you okay?" His tone softened but she didn't have it in her to respond. Her body swayed rougher this time with her eyes finally falling shut with the box of tea slipping out of her hands. The last thing she remembered was a shout and the feeling of warmth enveloping her body.

...

It took at least two days before she finally woke up in her bedroom. Julian was standing near the door with Asra beside her bed with his hand on her forehead. His gaze softened as he stared into her golden brown eyes. "Finally awake I see. How nice to see you again Flare. Although i wish it were in better circumstances." A soft chuckle left his lips as he pulled his hand away and helped her sit up.

"How long have i..." 

"Two days. You worried everyone here actually. Lucio wouldn't let anyone other than Julian and I into your bedroom. He called for us both to make sure you didn't..." Asra trailed off but she knew what he was trying to say. To make sure she didn't have the plague either. Thankfully that didn't seem to be the case or she would've gotten kicked out when she first fell unconscious. Of course Lucio wouldn't have cared about her safety. He just didn't want a sick person in his palace to deal with. The thought alone stabbed through her and left her feeling worse than when she would get jealous.

"Oh god two days? I have to get back to work! Doctor how far along are we? What can i do to help?" She asked as she rushed out of bed with Asra steadying her body as gently as possible. Julian finally moved closer and placed his hands on her shoulders with a smile on his lips. 

"Hey cool down little flame! First of all, a lot of the work Asra helped me with while you were asleep and we hit a breakthrough! We just gave Lucio the finished product and we're waiting for the results but the odds are in our favor! The tarot cards even said so!" Julian proclaimed with the widest grin she ever saw.

They hit a breakthrough? They had a possible cure? Lucio could be saved? Her world rocked as she felt a weight lift off her shoulders to consider that he could be cured along with the rest of the city. They finally had some semblance of hope in their lives since this all began. She smiled so wide it hurt her cheeks as she firmly wrapped her arms around Julian's waist in a fierce hug. "Oh my gosh Jules I'm so proud of you!" She exclaimed and felt him petting her hair while he chuckled in embarrassment. 

After a while of hugging both Julian and Asra, she asked to see Lucio to check on the progress of the new cure. Julian agreed that it was time to check on him regardless with Asra declining to join and the glare in his eyes said not to ask him twice. So they made their way up to Lucio's chambers once more. Surprisingly enough the guard dogs weren't at the end of the staircase where they normally were when they ascended.

"Luci? Its me, can i come in?" Julian asked, knocking on his bedroom door. Flare remained silent as the door opened, revealing a smirking Lucio with his chest bare and his usual dress pants hanging low on his hips. His whole demenor looked different. His eyes brighter and more playful, his previous muscle returning to his frail pysique, back straight with confidence. He barely resembled the weak, sick man she had known.

"Oh of course you may Ilya, you're always welcome here. Oh. Red you're awake." Even though he looked like himself, the only thing that remained of the plague was the red scelera of his eyes against the silver of his pupils. He now appeared slightly bored once he noticed her presence there. "I told you you looked exhausted but i neevr expected you to faint. You should be thanking me for not only catching you but putting you into bed as well." He continued when she didn't reply fast enough.

She didn't know how to respond and was more than thankful when Julian intervened. 

"W-We came to see your progress now that Flare has woken up. You l-look like you're b-back to you're old self again." Julian stuttered on his words, clearly flustered to be seeing Lucio's naked chest.

"Well as you can see darling Ilya, i am doing just fine and have never felt better. At your earliest time, send the cure out to the city with Asra's help. The people need it since i am already cured now don't they?" Lucio grinned with a gleam in his eyes as Julian and Flare turned to follow his orders before her arm was suddenly tugged back and she felt her body hit against something soft and warm. "Not you red. You and I need to have a little talk. Go ahead without her Ilya." 

Before he could even answer Lucio shut the door between them and directed his gaze down to Flare instead.

"Now then.~" The words dripped off his tongue as he moved his metal hand from her arm around her waist with his free hand cupping her chin and tilting it back to stare directly into her eyes. "Since you did such a good job and worked harder than any one in this palace i should give you a reward. What would you like hm? Jewels? Dresses? What does that tiny heart of yours desire?" He asked her, his breath fanning over her face and making her dizzy from the sweet smell of wine he must have been drinking when they came.

"I-I couldn't ask for anything of you my lord... I a-already recieved my gift knowing y-you're cured." Her voice was meek even to her, some of her need seeping out in turn.

"Oh? Why did you want me cured so badly? Care to tell me why..." He leaned in close, brushing his lips against the shell of her ear before he whispered to her softly. "Flare?" A shiver rolled down her spine from him finally saying her name like she longed to hear from him for so long but could only hear in her dreams. She tried to place her hands somewhere and ended up setting them against his bare chest while she tried to clear the fog in her head.

"I-I didn't want you t-to die. B-Because..." A soft moan left her lips as his lips left kisses against her jaw line to the corner of her lips, teasing her with the gentle brush of his lips near hers. He hummed quietly, encouraging her to continue. "B-Because i.. i l-like you..."

The words left her throat as a whisper before his lips captured hers in a searing kiss. 

It was tantalizing and blissful. Her eyes fell shut, hands lifting from his chest and tangling in his hair as he pulled her flush against his body. His lips moved against hers as his hand under her chin moved to grip the hair at the nape of her neck, adjusting her head as he deepened the kiss and nipped at her lower lip. He took the opportunity once she moaned, slipping his tongue into her mouth and tasting her as she tasted him in return. Her heart raced as she tasted the wine still on his tongue, knees feeling weak until he shifted them both and held her up against the door with his knee settling between her thighs.

He slowly broke away, panting quietly as he licked the saliva from his lips and gazed at her hungrily. 

"Did you mean that? You aren't just saying that for the things i have are you?" He stared into her eyes, looking for any traces of a lie as she shook her head.

"No! God I've liked you for so long... I-I know the rumors but that's not all there is to you. You love animals, you love fashion, you always treated Miss Nadia with respect and care, you love being in the gardens and exploring the grounds... I k-know how you flirt and how you can get angry easily but i don't think thats all there is to you or thats any reason to fear you either... I like you for you and i want to know everything about you Lu.. m-my lord.."

His lips raised into a genuine smile before he dipped his head and left kisses from her cheek down her neck and over her collarbone. "You can call me Lucio darling. Its the only thing you'll be able to say for a while." He teased in her ear before returning to his mission. Flare couldn't help the moans that left her lips as he kissed, sucked and bit into her flesh the lower he got on her neck. He refused to let up even once, rocking his knee over her clothed entrance. Her breathing turned into pants the longer this kept up.

"P-Please Lucio..." She begged as she tugged on his hair to try to get his attention. He smirked before he lowers his hands to her thighs and picked her up, letting her legs wrap around his waist as he caught her lips in another passionate kiss and guided them back to the large bed. 

He dropped her down before he crawled over her, leaving soft, wet kisses against her skin before reaching her lips. Cold and warm hands started wandering, tracing down his back to feel the muscles under her palms and he did the same for her with his hands now lifting her dress off up her legs and squeezing the flesh of her pale thighs under his palms, being careful with his golden arm as his lips marked her neck purple and blue. More moans escaped from her throat as she tightened her legs around his waist, craving more friction to soothe the heat in her lower belly.

He obliged and grinded his hips against hers, pulling back to lick his slightly swollen lips. "I like you Flare. You're so different.. You treat me so genuinely. I've never felt that before... I want to keep feeling it." He proclaimed, yanking her dress fully off her body and growling softly from the sight of her nearly bare beneath him. "You're so beautiful.." The words slipped from his mouth and had her whine and whimper, wiggling her hips at him and tugging him back down to her. 

"I-I need you Lucio. Please i need you so badly.." Flare begged him, leaning up and laying a soft kiss against his collarbone as he gripped the bedsheet beneath her then let go, sitting up on his knees to lower his pants and take her panties off her body. He growled in need, lowering his hand and rubbing at her slit in a teasingly slow motion with his human hand which had her wriggling and whining beneath his body.

"Lucio stop teas- Ah!" She cried out as his fingers finally thrusted into her, giving her part of what she wanted as he thrusted his two fingers into her with his thumb rubbing at her clit and bringing tears of pleasure to her eyes, spreading her legs to offer more to him as he kissed at her jawline.

"You're so ready for me Flare~ Just right for me. Do you even know how good you feel? Such a good girl~" He whispered against her ear, biting and tugging on her earlobe as he thrusted further. A loud cry escaped her throat as his fingers brushed against her clit in just the right way to nearly make her come right then and there. She whined as he removed his fingers, watching in embarrassment as he licked the digits clean before he lined himself up, gazing at her fondly before he slowly pushed in and her legs tightened around him in a silent cry of pleasure.

"Thats my good girl... You feel so wonderful like this Flare..." He grunted softly, starting with slow, hard thrusts with his hands holding hers near her head against the bed sheets. Her hips rose and rocked in time with his thrusts, screaming as he hit that one spot and he growled before he started mercilessly pounding against it, hard enough to make the bed creak beneath them to add to their combined moans.

He let go of her hands and gripped her hair, tugging her head up to kiss her again in a rush of teeth and tongue, her nails racking down his back and leaving trails of red in their wake as he lowered his human hand back to her clit and rubbed harshly as he spoke against her lips. "I want to feel you come for me Flare. Just for me~"

"Lucio.. Lucio lucio lucio!" She cried out his name like a prayer, body trembling as she felt the heat building up in her belly by the second. It wouldn't be long now as she leaned up and bit down on his shoulder, making him cry out as he thrusted harder and all at once the heat overflowed and she came with his name still on her lips in a loud moan.

He groaned as he watched her mouth form a perfect 'O' and felt her tighten around him. With a few more sloppy thrusts he found himself coming with her, moaning out her name before he collapsed on top of her. They both attempted to catch their breathes, Lucio pulling himself up on his elbows to gaze down at Flare witha sweet smile. "Mm I very much enjoyed that... Want to have another round darling?"

...

"Flare. Flare wake up already! You know i don't like to be kept waiting." 

Flare snapped out of her memories and opened her eyes, gazing up at the love of her life and the very person she was just thinking of. She couldn't help but smile, making him raise an eyebrow as he held his hand out for her. "You look like you were deep in thought love. Thinking of me again?" He joked and brougth a fit of laughter from how he didn't even know he was right. She took his hand and rose to her feet, placing a soft kiss against his lips.

"As a matter of fact I was. I was thinking of how much I love you." Flare smiled, seeing a faint pink rise to his cheeks as he set his metal hand against her hip. 

"I love you too my Flare. I always will." He leaned down, giving her a soft kiss before he held her in his arms. Time and memories were both important and now with her memories back, even though she lost some time, she can make up for it now with the man she loves beside her, making new memories to share together.


End file.
